Gaza Strip casualty figures reach record highs amid humanitarian crisis

Conditions in the Gaza Strip continue to deteriorate as casualty figures rise. According to UNRWA and Gaza health sector data, 73,386 Palestinians were killed and 174,256 were injured between October 7, 2023, and August 9, 2026. This includes 1,258 deaths and 4,295 injuries recorded between the announcement of a ceasefire on October 10, 2025, and August 9, 2026.

UNRWA reported that 393 of its staff members have been killed since the start of the conflict. Furthermore, the World Health Organization recorded 45 attacks on health services between January 1 and August 6, 2026, resulting in 10 deaths and 44 injuries. Currently, 114 emergency shelters are hosting approximately 65,000 displaced persons.

Operational challenges persist for UNRWA as international staff are barred from entering the territory following Israeli legislation passed in October 2024. Consequently, approximately 11,000 Palestinian employees continue to provide essential services.

In addition to the death toll, many families face the trauma of missing loved ones. The National Campaign to Recover the Bodies of Martyrs has identified 799 individuals, including 81 children and 10 women. Many remains are reportedly trapped under rubble, held in cemeteries, or lost, preventing families from conducting proper burials.